The Goldfish
by SilentOne101
Summary: It's after the war, and Duo wants to have a relationship. But the Group Leader at his group meetings says he must do something first. A some-what fusion with 28 Days....feedback adored!
1. The Beginning

Title: The Goldfish Part 1

Rating: PG

Pairings: None really, maybe hints of a 25...but it is just hints

Warnings: None

Spoilers: Not really

Disclaimers: I don't own them, and I make no money from them. So please, don't sue me!

Author's Notes: Another small spoofy/cute fic that comes from the endless pit of my mind. This one is set about a year after EW, although no mentioning of any specific events so not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it. As always, feedback is adored and worshipped!

"Duo, it is all right if you want to share your story with us." A large, round lady sat in a desk that was too small for her overly-large stomach, glasses perched on her pointed nose. Across from her, in an odd form of a circle, was Duo, who was unsuccessfully trying to hide his shame in being at the 'Wartime Survivor society' meeting. His face, which was completely red, was towards the ground as he tried to come up with something believable without going too deep into his past.

"I was a mobile suit pilot..." Before he could finish the sentence, he heard about twelve "aahh's" and "I see's" from the other group members. Duo frowned, but continued on. "I killed a lot of people..." More noises from the peanut gallery, although they were more along the lines of "poor boy," and "that's so sad."

When Duo didn't elaborate or continue, the large woman cleared her throat and motioned with her hand for Duo to keep talking. "Please, Duo, tell us about it." Her voice, meant to be calming and soothing, was beginning to grate on his nerves and he was wondering for the millionth time why he let Une talk him into this.

"That's about it, actually!" Duo said, practically bouncing in his seat with one of his trademark grins on his face. When everyone else in the group just stared at him with open mouths, Duo just shrugged and crossed one leg over the other and leaned his head back on the chair.

"A-A-Are y-you sure there is nothing else you want to say about it? Are there no memories that you wish to get off your chest?" Okay, the woman was really starting to bug him...

"Not really. Someone told me, though, that there is a certain waiting period until you can successfully have an intimate relationship with someone else. Is this true?" The woman, now under Duo's full scrutiny as he stared at her through violet eyes, gulped noticeably.

"Well, yes, Duo, that is somewhat true." Duo raised an eyebrow and crossed both arms over his chest, waiting for the woman to tell the rest. Apparently, this was what half of the other members of the group were waiting for, as well, because they all seemed to perk up a little and watch the woman intensely.

"You see, not every person is the same when they deal with the stress of war. Some people are able to cope rather easily, while others sit and stew in their own guilt for many many days or weeks or years." The woman gulped again. "The rule of thumb is: If you can keep a goldfish alive for six months, and still remain in good contact with your friends and/or family while keeping the goldfish alive, you are ready to have the beginning stages of a relationship."

Duo nodded, as did the other members of the group, and then he stood up, much to the surprise of the lady. "Are you going somewhere, Duo?" She asked, sniffing loudly. Duo shrugged, nodding.

"Yeah, apparently I am." With that, he left the building, which was nothing more than an old barbershop, and he walked the three blocks to his apartment that he shared with the other four pilots.

Once inside, he waltzed into the kitchen where Wufei just happened to be. Wufei, who was sitting at the kitchen table reading a novel, looked up at his braided friend and raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Did you need something, Duo?" Duo, who was busy rummaging through one of the cabinets, just mumbled something while shuffling all of the papers in the carefully organized shelving. Wufei cringed as the work he put into organizing that cupboard just went down the drain.

"AHA! Here it is!" Duo, who was practically inside the cabinet, climbed carefully out and held up the phonebook triumphantly. Wufei eyed the phonebook before glancing at Duo with a quizzical expression on his face.

"And you would be calling who at this time of night?" Wufei asked, unable to keep his curiosity at bay. Duo glanced at the clock, and his face fell considerably before it perked up again.

"I was going to call some pet stores to see if they sell goldfish, but I guess I should wait until tomorrow, huh?" Wufei only raised an eyebrow.

"That would be wise, since most businesses are closed at this time of night." Duo seemed to think for a moment before his face lit up, and Wufei inwardly cringed at whatever idea just came into the braided baka's head.

Duo grabbed the nearest chair and turned it backwards so he could rest his chin on the back, facing Wufei. "Well, then, since I can't _call_ the pet places to see if they have goldfish, why don't you come with me to pick one out? It will be lots of fun and I'll even buy you lunch." The hopeful look on Duo's face was too much to take, and Wufei found himself agreeing to go out first thing in the morning to find Duo his goldfish.


	2. The Middle

Title: The Goldfish Part 2

Rating: PG

Pairings: None really, maybe hints of a 2x5...but it is just hints

Warnings: None

Spoilers: Not really

Disclaimers: I don't own them, and I make no money from them. So please, don't sue me!

Author's Notes: Another small spoofy/cute fic that comes from the endless pit of my mind. This one is set about a year after EW, although no mentioning of any specific events so not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it. As always, feedback is adored and worshipped!

Wufei glared at the fish tank as if the evil look he was giving it would make it spontaneously combust. Duo, on the other hand, was crouched low on the ground, his face eye level with the tank as he tried to pick a fish out of the several hundred that seemed to be swimming in the semi-clean water.

"Hey Wufei, what do you think of that one?" Wufei tried to find the fish Duo was pointing at, but trying to follow Duo's finger while following a fish was like trying to watch a small black bird amongst hundreds of flying crows. Wufei just shrugged and made a small grunting noise.

"Duo, this is the fifth pet store we've visited, and I'm getting hungry." Duo looked at him and pouted.

"But I _need_ to find the perfect fish!" Wufei 'hmphed' and bent down next to Duo to study the fish in the tank. Duo glanced over at Wufei, blinking a couple of times in surprise. Wufei was actually going to _study_ the fish with him?

"That one." Wufei said, pointing to one of the larger fish in the tank. It was white with orange splotches across its back. It seemed to stare at Wufei, its mouth making small kissing motions. Duo's grin went from ear to ear as he motioned for one of the attendants to come over and get the fish from the tank.

After several heart-wrenching seconds as the fish was without a way to breath, Duo was clutching the small plastic bag with pride in his eyes. Wufei again wondered what the fish was for, but after seeing the way Duo treasured the animal, he wasn't going to ask. It was only a goldfish after all.

They went to the nearest drive-thru, Duo afraid that "Larry," the fish, wouldn't want to be left in the car. Duo paid for the meal, which was only two hamburgers, fries and drinks, and then Wufei drove them all home, his eyes glancing at his braided friend as he talked quiet words to the fish.

When they walked into the apartment, Duo instantly took Larry and the supplies he had bought to his room and closed the door behind him. Wufei was almost upset that Duo hadn't invited him to help him set up Larry's new home, but Wufei squashed down that thought almost the moment it had popped into his mind. Why should he care if Duo didn't want his help anymore?

After several hours, Wufei found himself helping Heero to make dinner. The two worked quietly together, Wufei chopping up the vegetables and Heero stir-frying them to a crispy-brown. Wufei tended the rice on the stove while Heero took the pre-sliced chicken from a package and placed it with the cooking vegetables.

"Mmmm...Dinner smells good!" Duo waltzed into the kitchen, holding a small glass bowl with a plastic lid, Larry floating inside. Wufei frowned, noticing the plastic cap, and he took the bowl from Duo before Duo could do anything. "Hey! Larry's mine, Wufei!" Duo tried to reach for the bowl, but Wufei held it out of reach.

"Duo, you baka! You can't put an airtight lid on a fishbowl, otherwise the water will receive no oxygen and the fish will die." Wufei reached into the silverware drawer and pulled out an ice pick. With three quick jabs, he placed three small holes in the top, big enough to allow oxygen but not so much to spill all the water very quickly. Duo watched Wufei, his face in awe, and then he took the fishbowl when Wufei handed it back to him.

"Thank you, Wufei." He practically hugged the fishbowl to him, talking to Larry again in soft quiet words.

"You're welcome." Wufei mumbled quietly, watching Duo retreat back to his bedroom, still talking to the apparently traumatized fish. After a couple of seconds, Heero rolled his eyes and sighed loudly.

"Are you going to finish the rice or are we going to have to scrape it off the bottom of the pan?" Wufei squinted his eyes and muttered some colorful words in Mandarin before going back to the rice, stirring it up and carefully scraping whatever had started to stick to the bottom. He glared at the smirking Heero, daring him to say anything about the rice. Heero, wanting to be able to move for the rest of his life, remained silent, although a grin was on his face for the rest of the cooking.

About 20 minutes later, Duo re-entered the kitchen, _still_ holding the bowl and placing it on the counter while he set the table. After he had the plates down, he grabbed the bowl and set it next to his plate, stroking the glass as if the fish inside could feel it. Wufei groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes. Hopefully, he thought, this attachment would end soon and Larry would become just like a normal pet that got fed three times a day and was forgotten in between. Hopefully.

And, as many weeks flew by, Wufei's hopeful thoughts disappeared completely as that fish became more and more of a nuisance to him and all the other pilots.


	3. The End

Title: The Goldfish Part 3

Rating: PG

Pairings: None really, maybe hints of a 2x5...but it is just hints

Warnings: None

Spoilers: Not really

Disclaimers: I don't own them, and I make no money from them. So please, don't sue me!

Author's Notes: Another small spoofy/cute fic that comes from the endless pit of my mind. This one is set about a year after EW, although no mentioning of any specific events so not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it. As always, feedback is adored and worshipped!

"What is that fish doing here, Duo?! This is an important business meeting and you bring along the goldfish!" Duo winced, holding the bowl against his chest as he glared at Une.

"He's not just a fish, he is _Larry_, and I will bring him wherever I want to." Duo's fingers instinctively stroked the glass bowl, a motion Wufei and the rest of the pilots had grown used to in the past five months since the fish became a member of the household.

"Why is he so important, Duo? Why must that fishbowl be present at _every_ function you go to?" Duo shrugged, slowly placing the bowl on the table in front of him.

"He is important to _me_, and that's why he goes." Une was going to try and push for more answers about Duo's mysterious obsession with the fish, but the look on Duo's face told her that any more questions would be fruitless. She just sighed and threw her hands, and the paperwork she was holding, in the air.

"I give up! It's been five months, two weeks, and three days since you bought that fish, and yet you still take it wherever you go!" Une stalked out of the conference room, unaware of the smirking faces that followed her retreat as she left.

"Well, that was a short meeting." Quatre piped up, gathering the few papers in front of him and placing them in a manilla folder. The others all nodded their heads and did the same, Duo gathering the papers that had flown from Une's hands, since those had been his papers to begin with.

"What amazes me is that she has kept count of how long you've had that fish-I mean, Larry." Trowa said, remembering to call the fish by its name when he saw Duo's glare.

"And she is accurate to the day." Heero said, standing up from the table and making his way to the door.

"She must have it on a calendar." Wufei agreed, glancing down at Duo as he was still picking up the loose paper. Wufei, seeing a paper Duo hadn't got yet, reached down and picked it up, handing it to his braided friend.

"Thanks, Wufei." Duo mumbled, standing up and brushing the dust from his pants. Wufei nodded, and started to head out of the room, Duo following close behind, Larry clutched to his chest, content in his small glass bowl.

When they got home, Duo went into his room and closed the door behind him. Wufei, who had noticed Duo's quiet attitude on the way home, asked Heero if he noticed anything, either.

"The fish didn't look so great." Was all Heero had said, and Wufei almost had the urge to go in and comfort Duo as he waited for Larry to get better. But, again, Wufei refrained from doing anything, suppressing the thought as it had risen in his mind.

Dinner came and passed, and Duo still hadn't come out of his room. Wufei tapped on the door, but Duo's harsh "Go Away" made Wufei turn away and go to bed, the plate of dinner Wufei made for him untouched at Duo's door.

Several hours passed, and Wufei was fitful in his sleep. Then, at around 3:00 in the morning, there was a light tapping at his door and Wufei was instantly awake.

"Come in." He said, his voice neutral. He expected some sort loud noises from Duo as the boy padded into Wufei's bedroom dressed in only a pair of plaid pajama pants. What he didn't expect was the quiet sniffling as Duo handed Wufei the small bowl that contained Larry.

"H-H-He's d-d-dead!" Duo wailed, tears of grief falling down his cheeks. Wufei would have laughed at the comical appearance of his friend if he didn't know that Duo could probably break every bone in his body if he wanted to. That, and the fact that the loss of his fish was probably one of the most painful experiences he had experienced since the end of the war.

Without realizing that he was invading Wufei's space, Duo climbed onto the bed and practically snuggled up to the Chinese pilot. Wufei, taken aback by the actions Duo was taking, didn't realize that all Duo wanted was a little comfort after the loss of his friend, and it took him a couple of minutes to come up with this factor.

"Shhh, Duo, it's okay! Maybe it was just Larry's time to go." Wufei said, trying to sound comforting without much luck. He tentatively reached an arm around Duo's shoulder and stroked his skin, just like Duo used to do to the fishbowl. Duo's quiet sobbing turned to small hiccups, and he glanced at Wufei through thick bangs and water-soaked eyelashes.

"I'll miss the little guy." Duo sniffled, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. Wufei grimaced slightly, and he reached over to his nightstand and grabbed a tissue, holding it out to Duo. Duo took it and blew his nose loudly. Wufei placed the bowl on his nightstand next to the tissues, and he went back to stroking Duo's arm. "Hey Wufei, can you do me a favor?"

"Hmm? What is it that you want?" At that moment, Wufei would have agreed with anything. He didn't realize how much he enjoyed human contact until that moment.

"Can you help me find another goldfish?" Wufei frowned, his fingers stopping their movement on Duo's skin. Duo let out an involuntary whimper at the loss of movement.

"Duo, what is so special about the goldfish? Why do you feel that a _fish_ is necessary in your everyday life?" Duo almost smiled as he removed himself from Wufei's arm and stood up, walking to the doorway. Wufei frowned at the loss, but watched Duo as he turned around to face Wufei one more time.

"Because after I keep a goldfish alive for six months, I can finally ask you out." With a smile and a wink, Duo left the room, leaving Wufei in a state of bewilderment.

"..."

The End


End file.
